Life After Death
by Double Decker
Summary: This is the sequel to my story The End of a Beautiful Thing. It tells the story of what might happen if Lily and James didn't die. Just because Voldemort is gone doesn't mean that things are going to get any easier.
1. Remembering the Past

Lily Potter's eyes bolted open, cold sweat was dripping down her forehead and she was tangled in her bed covers. She had tears forming in her bright almond shaped emerald eyes, and her auburn hair was sticking to her back.

"Lily?" Her husband asked groggily opening his eyes, "Lily, what's wrong?"

Lily turned to face her husband, James Potter, "nothing, I just had a bad dream that's all." She said.

"Again?" James asked frowning and sitting up slightly.

Lily nodded, "but don't worry it's only a dream," she said, this was reassuring her self more then James.

There was a brief silence, "James what if it had been different, what if it had actually happened like in my dream?" Lily said fighting back tears.

"You can't think like that Lily." James said pulling her into a hug, "just be grateful that it didn't happen, just thank god that we were lucky."

"I know but I can't help thinking what might have happened." Lily said wiping away a lone tear. "I'm going to check on Harry."

James nodded and released his wife from his embrace.

Lily slid out of bed and out of her bedroom, she crept down the hallway into her sons room.

She pushed the door open, making sure that it didn't creek and entered the room.

"Mum," Harry Potter said as she entered in his cute baby voice.

"What are you doing awake?" She asked going over to his cot and lifting him out.

"Mum," Harry said again smiling and showing all of the teeth he had, which wasn't very many.

Lily went over to a chair by the window and she sat with her son, rocking him back and forward.

She looked out of the window as she sat there, her eyes scanned the dark front garden below her. They moved over the gate and her heart missed a beat and she sat bolt upright.

Her eyes did a double take and she relaxed, she thought she had seen a figure, clad in black, standing by her front gate, but it had just been a shadow.

She was so paranoid these days, well ever since they had been visited in the middle of the night by Lord Voldemort. But if you had been attacked in the middle of the night by the most feared Dark Wizard of all time, who was intent on killing your child, wouldn't you be a little scared?

She kissed her sons head as she thought how lucky he was to be here, how lucky she was to be here, in fact how lucky they all were to still be alive.

It had been a narrow escape, too close for comfort, she was just grateful that her potion hadn't back fired.

Lily remembered how she had found the potion that had ultimately saved not only her family, but possibly the whole wizarding world.

She had found it not long after she had gone into hiding, it was in a library book that she had found in the bottom of her old school trunk. She remembered smuggling it out of the restricted section during her seventh year to do a bit of extra revision for her potions NEWT.

She had forgotten about it after her exams, she must have thrown it in the bottom of her trunk and it stayed there with the rest of her old school things.

She had never really looked inside it after she left school, but she was feeling particularly down on this day and wanted to remind herself of better times. She had emptied her whole trunk, and she found it lurking at the very bottom.

She had been flicking through the book when she found the potion, it looked very difficult to make. It used ancient magic as a barrier against even the most powerful dark spells, and if brewed strongly enough could even protect against the killing curse, but even if it was brewed strongly enough for that you needed to take a large dosage which could be more fatal then the curse itself.

After reading about the potion she was determined to try and make it, even if it didn't work there was no harm in trying.

She had collected all the ingredients that were required, many of them she had never heard of before, and set about brewing it.

It needed to be kept in a cool dark place with no direct sunlight, this was because, as it said in the book, some of the ingredients had a tendency to explode when out I the sun for too long.

It was not a nice potion to make, she would often spend hours in the cellar at night, which was apparently the best time to brew it, sweating over the boiling cauldron. At many points when she was making it she was required to put her own blood in it, this was apparently because that blood signified death and this potion was protecting against it. But she knew that it would all be worth it if it saved her son.

She finished brewing it about a month before Harry's 1st birthday, she bottled it and left the in the cellar, hoping that she would never have to use it.

After that she had forgotten about it, as she had never actually had to use it, until the night that Voldemort arrived in her front garden. The night that still haunted her.

2 MONTHS EARLIER

"IT'S HIM LILY!" James shouted, "HE'S COME!"

Through the window of Godric's Hollow you could see the outline of Lord Voldemort. His long black robes billowing behind him in the wind. He held his wand in front of him.

The world of Lily Potter was crashing down around her ears, only a few seconds earlier she had been celebrating the fact that she was expecting a second child with her husband, but it seemed impossible now that she could have possibly felt happy at all.

James turned to face her, there was no fear in his eyes, she knew that he had been preparing for this moment mentally ever since they had gone into hiding.

"Lily," he said in a strangely calm voice, "go and get Harry, get out as quickly as you can."

Lily went to James, "I love you." She whispered and she kissed him.

James pulled away after a few seconds, "I love you too," he said, it was paining him to do this, it was like his heart was being ripped out. "Now go," he said and he watched his wife run from the room.

"Emma, take the twins and go out the back. When you're out of the house make a portkey, then go for help." James looked at Emma, but she hadn't been listening to a word that he had said. She was standing transfixed on the window and seemed to be in a daze.

"EMMA!" James shouted, he didn't have anytime to loose, the Aurors and enchantments would keep Voldemort back for long.

"What?" Emma asked taking her eyes off the window and looking at James.

James ignored her and turned to Jess, "go with her and help her."

"But I need to help you," Jess said, "You-"

"No," James said and she knew there was no point in arguing, "now go, quickly."

Jess hugged James quickly, "good luck." She said and then she picked up Sinead, Emma had Reece and ran from the house, Emma in front of her.

They raced to the back door, "you take Sinead." Jess said handing Emma her other child. She then scooped up a mug from the table and, with her heart pounding, followed Emma out the door.

"Get your wand out." She hissed, "and stay behind me."

Emma slid behind Jess with her wand out, it seemed that she could not think for herself, she just had to do what she was told.

"Keep as quiet as you can," Jess whispered as she held the mug out in front of her and waved her wand, but before she could say the incantation to turn it into a portkey Emma shouted.

"JESS!" And a curse flew past her left arm.

"Crap!" Jess muttered.

Emma started firing spells at the two black figures that were advancing towards them. Her aim was terrible but this was because, one, she was holding two children in her arms, and two, she was shaking with fear.

Jess ducked down a another spell flew past her ear.

"Portus," she said tapping the mug with her wand, "hold on." She shouted to Emma and her friend put her hand on the mug too.

"Bugger," Emma shouted as a spell hit her arm and it started to bleed.

"Just hold on," Jess said and she put an arm around her friend, "1,2,3."

On number three Jess Emma and the two children disappeared as the mug transported them away.

Lily Potter ran out of the living room and out into the hall, she needed to get Harry and get out . She went to the stairs and was half way up when she stopped and raced back down again.

"The potion." She said to herself as she ran back to the ground floor, yanked the door to the cellar open and pointed her wand.

"Accio potion." The small phial of blood red potion flew into her hands.

She held onto it tight and ran back to the stairs.

"Lily, what are you doing?" James asked as he emerged from the living room and took up his place in front of the stairs, ready to die defending his family. "Get Harry out."

Lily didn't say anything but she put her hand on his shoulder as she ran past and up the stairs.

She burst into her sons room just as she heard a crash downstairs, Lord Voldemort had breached the house.

Harry was standing in his cot, his hands holding onto the bars, he had obviously been woken by the commotion downstairs.

"Here Harry." Lily said un corking the potion, "Drink this, it will keep you safe."

She heard yells, they were closer then before, the fight must have moved up onto the staircase.

"There's a good boy." Lily said as she tipped the contents into Harry's mouth and he began to swallow. She just prayed to God that she had brewed it strongly enough.

Just as she tipped the last dregs of blood red liquid into his mouth the door flew off its hinges and James came flying into the room followed by Lord Voldemort, standing in the door way.

Voldemort fired another spell at James and he was sent flying through the window.

"JAMES!" Lily screamed and Voldemort looked at her.

"Move out of the way." He spat and he flicked his wand and Lily was sent across the room and smashed into the wall, then everything went black.

PRESENT DAY

Lily stood up, Harry had fallen asleep in her arms. She went back over to the cot and placed him inside, kissing him on the head as she did so. Then she left the room.

She looked at her bedroom door, and she heard snores coming from inside, James must have fallen asleep again. She proceeded down the stairs and she sat in the living room.

Lily sat in the dark room, a tear rolling down her face as she remembered how she felt two months ago and, although she was happy that her family wasn't dead, she couldn't help but feel that she shouldn't be.

Why hadn't Voldemort just killed her? How had Harry survived?

She found it hard to believe that it had just been her potion, to be honest she didn't think it would work. She had looked up the potion in many different books to try and find it's theory, to find out how it worked, but she couldn't find it anywhere. It was like it didn't exist.

Maybe the potion hadn't had any effect at all, maybe Harry had special powers she knew nothing about, but she doubted that very much.

She sighed as she remembered a conversation that she had had with Dumbledore in hospital a few days after the attack.

She had told him about the potion and how she could find no evidence of it in any other books.

Dumbledore had just smiled and nodded and gave her a cryptic reply, "I very much doubt that something as simple as a potion could have protected Harry, not matter how complicated it was to make. The only thing that could have saved him was your love. I believe that it wasn't the ingredients that you put into the potion knowingly that saved you son, but the one that you put in without knowing it that did."

Lily was very frustrated with this answer, why could he not just give her a straight answer? It would have saved a lot less confusion, and wouldn't have taken as long to say! But Dumbledore was sometimes too clever for his own good.

She had thought over what he had said many times, she didn't think she had put anything extra into the potion, but he had she that she didn't know he had done it.

Had she been asleep when she did it or something?

Then she remembered the other thing he had said, that only her love could have protected him. Had he meant that she had put her love in it?

Had the fact that she loved her son so much and that she was willing to do anything to keep him alive somehow been transferred to the potion? Is that what had saved her son?

Lily got up and went down into the cold dark cellar, the floor was very cold under foot and she winced as her bare feet touched it.

The cellar smelt to damp and it felt the same, she shivered as she lit her wand tip and a thin beam of light lit the room.

She went over to a table on the far wall, this was where she had brewed the potion, and it had been where she had left the book.

She cast the beam of light over the wooden surface of he table, but the book wasn't there.

"Odd," Lily said to herself. She searched the whole cellar but it wasn't there.

She was positive that she didn't move it, and James wouldn't have taken it. She wasn't sure that he even knew there was a cellar here

She sighed, maybe she'd look again in the morning when she wasn't so tired.

She went back up the stairs and into the main house, closing the cellar door behind her.

She went back into the dark living room and sank into the sofa, she was now utterly confused!

She closed her eyes, thinking about the potion, and she soon drifted off to sleep again.

Right that's the first chapter done, that was really just sort of explaining how they survived. I couldn't come up with a really good way of making Lily and James live and Voldemort go away so I just had to use this potion idea.

If you haven't read the other two stories then you might be a bit confused, I would advise reading the other two stories, otherwise you might not get this story. It might not be necessary but I'll probably be making references to things that happened in the other stories.

I haven't mentioned anything about Wormtail in this chapter, but don't worry that's for the next chapter, god I hate him!

Right I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, and I can't wait to hear what you thing.

P.S If anyone has anything that they really want me to include in this story, or any ideas that they think I could use, then please don't hesitate to email me. : )


	2. Bringing a Rat to Jusitice

"Do we have to do this?" Sirius Black asked a fellow Auror as they stood outside Azkaban Prison. They had to do a routine inspection of the prison, make sure that everything was running smoothly.

"Don't worry, it'll be over soon." The other Auror replied, he was a higher ranked Auror then Sirius, "Handley never likes to drag out his inspections."

Oliver Handley was a senior Auror who was carrying out the inspection, he was quite a tall, well built man with blonde hair that was starting to grey.

"Right, lets get this started," Handley said, "I want to be in and out I under an hour."

Everyone nodded and followed him into the prison, the group consisted of Handley and three other Aurors of varying ranks.

They entered the prison and felt the happiness start to drain from their bodies. Sirius pulled his cloak around him to try and block out the cold.

He really didn't want to be here, not only because this was like hell on earth, but also because of Peter Pettigrew. The man that had sold two of his best friends to Voldemort. Sirius actually thought that if he came face to face with him he might actually kill him.

If Peter had had his way it would be him, Sirius, in this prison right now. If Peter had gotten his way Lily, who is also pregnant, James and Harry, their son, would be dead, along with his own pregnant wife, Emma Black and children, Sinead and Reece, and Remus' wife Jessica Lupin.

Sirius' grip tightened around his wand in his pocket and a few sparks emitted from it.

They walked through rows of cells, the smell of rotting reaching his nostrils and the fait sound of the prisoners muttering floating out of the cells and creeping into his ears.

The group stopped walking as Handley paused to talk to one of the prisoners.

"How long have you been here?" he asked the prisoner, a man who looked like a skeleton with hair.

"Dunno." He replied, "after a while you sorta, lose track of time," the man said and he started laughing manically.

"Right," Handley said writing a few notes down on a scroll of parchment, "lets move on."

After about twenty minutes of walking through the prison they were nearing the end of their inspection.

They were walking along the last rows of cells when Sirius saw a figure in one of them that he recognised.

Curled up in a ball in a corner of his cell was the round chubby form on Peter Pettigrew.

He looked up as the group moved closer and looked directly at Sirius.

"S-S-Sirius," he squeaked, "Sirius my friend, you must help me, you must get me out of here."

"Don't you dare call me friend," Sirius spat at Peter who had crawled up to the bars and was pressing his round face upon them to get a better look at Sirius. "You have no friends you back stabbing, double crossing son of a-"

"Sirius," one of the Aurors cut across him.

"This would be Peter Pettigrew." Handley said reading a sign pinned upon the cell door. "You know him Black?"

"I thought I did." Sirius said not taking his eyes of Peter. His hand was now tightly clasped around the handle of his wand.

"Padfoot you must understand, I didn't have a choice, he made me do it." Peter said desperately, "I had-"

"We always have a choice Pettigrew, you obviously made the wrong one." Sirius said staring at Peter with such loathing that he squealed and sand back into his cell.

"I think that's enough," Handley said, "Inspection over, lets get out of this hole."

The group now moved out of the prison very quickly, but before Sirius left he heard the word Traitor called out and a man squealing like a pig in return.

Later that day Sirius was in his cubical in the Auror department in the Ministry of magic. He had paper work to do but he couldn't concentrate, he couldn't stop thinking about Wormtail.

He remembered how he had caught Wormtail with Remus after Voldemort's attack on the Potters.

2 MONTHS EARLIER

Sirius wrapped hard on the door of Remus' flat.

"REMUS," He shouted through the letter box.

"Coming," came his friends voice from inside, "I'm coming."

A few seconds later the door opened and Remus Lupin appeared on the other side.

"What's wrong, why are you breaking down my door?" He asked.

"It's Lily and James, they've been attacked." Sirius said quickly stepping inside the house.

All colour drained from Remus' face, "what? Are they alright?"

"They're fine, don't ask me any questions now, we have other things to get on with." Sirius said, "Peter sold them out, he was the spy. I've just been to his flat and he's not there, he's gone."

"That deceiving-" Remus started but Sirius cut him off.

"Yes yes, I know," Sirius said impatiently, "but we have to find him before he gets away."

Remus nodded and ran off into his bedroom to pull on some robes and retrieve his wand.

"What about Jess, is she OK? She went down to their house." Remus asked.

"She's fine, her and Emma escaped and alerted the Ministry," Sirius said, "don't ask me how they did it."

"Where are we going to find Wormtail?" Remus asked, "where do we start?"

"Well if you were going to leave the country you'd need money so I'm guessing we head into London." Sirius said, "Lets start at the Leaky Cauldron."

Remus nodded and they stepped out of the flat before apparating away.

They arrived outside the grimy looking pub that was the Leak Cauldron, they stepping inside.

Sirius went over to the barman, "Tom I don't suppose you've seen Peter Pettigrew today?"

"Peter Pettigrew?" The humped back wizard said, trying to remember who he was, "that short fat boy, looks a but like a rat."

"That's the one." Sirius said.

"Not today I haven't, but I'll keep an eye out for you." The barman said.

"Thanks Tom-"

"Sirius he's there." Remus cut across him and Sirius turned tog see the door swing closed and the hem of some ones robes whip out of sight.

Sirius followed Remus who was running out of the pub after Peter.

They ran after him down the street until Remus got close enough to trip him, he would have cursed him but they were in a street full of muggles.

"R-R-Remus, S-Sirius," Peter said scrambling away from his friends and standing up, "I didn't know you were there."

Sirius walked up close to Peter, and stood right in front of him. He was a great deal taller which made him look more impressive, "you sold Lily and James to Voldemort."

"What? I don't know what you're talking about." Peter said, beads of sweat falling down his forehead.

"Don't deny it Pettigrew," Sirius said holding him by the scruff of the neck, "you betrayed them and you were going to let me take the fall for it."

Sirius pulled out his wand and held it to Peter's throat.

"Please, no," Peter squealed, "I had to, I didn't have a choice. The Dark Lord gave me no choice, he was going to kill me."

"SO?" Sirius shouted, "then you should have died." And he moved his wand in deeper to Peter's neck.

"But-But They're not dead, nothing bad happened, everyone's fine, no harm done." Peter squeaked.

"No harm done?" Remus said, "You nearly killed them, you nearly killed our families. You disgust me."

"But Remus I knew that the Dark Lord would fail-"

"Don't make me laugh," Sirius spat, "you don't even know your left from your right. Now give me a good reason why I shouldn't kill you."

"No Sirius," Remus said putting a hand on his shoulder, "we'll take him to the Ministry, he can rot in Azkaban with the rest of his Death eater friends."

"NO, NO!" Peter screamed.

"Yes." Sirius said and he punched Wormtail hard in the face, knocking him out.

"Nice punch Padfoot," Remus said.

"Thanks Mooney," Sirius replied.

PRESENT DAY

Sirius smiled as he remembered punching Wormtail, it had felt good.

He looked down at his watch, it was 7pm, he had had enough of working for one day.

He picked up his cloak and left the cubical, pulling the curtain after him. As he looked up into the Auror department he noticed a sudden flurry of movement, unusual for this time in the evening.

"What's going on?" he asked a fellow Auror as they rushed past.

"There's been another attack by Death Eaters on a young couple, right near where the Potter's live." The man said. "They had a small child, about the same age as the Potter boy as well."

Sirius shook his head as they man hurried off, even though Voldemort was gone there were still attacks going on by Death Eaters, mainly his cousin Bellatrix and her husband.

Well, he thought, I know what's going to be on the front page of the profit tomorrow.

A few minutes he was apparating back home.

"I'm home," He called out as he stepping inside the front door.

"Daddy!" A small child yelled and Sirius looked down to find his daughter standing in front of him, her arms outstretched.

"Hello princess." He said lifting his daughter up into his arms.

He carried his daughter into the kitchen where his wife, Emma, was sitting with his son, Reece. Reece had a crayon and was scribbling on a sheet of parchment, but his hand kept slipping and there was more crayon on the table then the parchment.

"Good day?" Emma asked standing up and kissing him.

"I've had better," Sirius said and he put his daughter down and wrapped his arms around his wife. "I had to go to Azkaban."

"You didn't see-"

"Yes, and I felt like killing him," Sirius said not waiting for her to finish what she was saying.

"Well he's getting what he deserves," Emma said and she pulled out of her husbands grip. She tied her mousy brown hair up and went over to the stove where there was a plate to food lying.

"Dinner," she said to Sirius and she set the food down on the table, "and you two little rascals, upstairs now, it's bed time." She added to the twins.

This is a short chapter but I just needed to explain what happened to Wormtail. The story will start properly in the next chapter I think.


	3. Looking to the Future

The next morning James Potter sat at the Breakfast table reading the Daily Profit while drinking a mug of hot tea.

"More attacks," James said, "you'd think with Voldemort gone they'd stop, but they seem to be getting worse."

"I wouldn't say worse, but I suppose now that they have no leader they're just do whatever they want." Lily said sighing.

"But Death Eaters never were the most clever people, they shouldn't be too hard to catch now they're not being protected by their masters." James said. "But it's a little strange, a couple a little older then us were killed, in this area, with a son the same age as Harry."

"Could just be a coincidence." Lily said.

"I suppose," James said folding the paper over and setting it down in the table.

There was a few moments of silence while he sipped his tea.

"I've been thinking," He said, Lily could tell that he had been waiting to say this.

"About what?"

"Well I was thinking about going back to work, you know seeing as we're out of hiding now, and we need to start bringing money in." James said.

Lily smiled, "Don't worry James, I think it's a good idea." She said, "we can't rely on your inheritance forever. Plus I know how much you hate being cooped up all day."

James smiled.

"James why were you so worried, what did you think I'd do?" Lily asked.

"I don't know, I just didn't want you to get mad of anything, I didn't want to put any strain on the baby."

"The baby is fine," Lily said patting her bump, it wasn't all that big, but it was growing bigger every day.

"In three months time we're going to have another baby, it's so exciting!" James said.

"I suppose," Lily said, "I just don't fancy having to push another one out, it hurts you know."

"You know if I could do it for you I would." James said getting up and hugging his wife.

"You know there probably is a way," Lily said smiling, and James jumped away from her looking horrified. "Don't worry dearest husband, I wouldn't put you through that."

James looked relieved and moved closer towards Lily again and kissed her.

Lily loved James' kisses, they gave her a warm tingling feeling inside.

"So when will you be going back to work?" She asked after she had pulled away.

"I don't know, I'll send an owl to the Ministry later and see what they say." James said.

"Well while you do that I'm going Diagon Alley," Lily said, "I'm buying some stuff for the new arrivals and we're going to meet Jess and Emma for lunch. That means you can spend some quality time with your son."

"On my own?" James asked a little worried.

"Yes on your own," Lily said and she looked at James' expression and laughed. "I don't now why you're so worried, you've done it before."

"I know, but he's older now." James said.

"Stop being such a baby," Lily said and she ruffled his hair up before leaving the kitchen and going upstairs.

Jessica Lupin apparated to the Leaky Cauldron, it was rather quiet as most people were at work on a Monday afternoon.

She moved to the back of the pub and out into the yard, she tapped the bricks on the wall in the correct sequence and they moved to reveal Diagon Alley.

She stepped out into the street full of witches and wizards.

She put her hand into the pocket of her cloak and pulled out a pair of gloves and slipped them over her hands.

She walking quickly through the street to keep as warm as possible, she was going to meet her friends for lunch.

She entered a small café just off the main shopping street, she felt a lovely warm breeze wash over her as she stepped further inside.

"Jess," Lily called from a table by the fire. Jess went over to them.

"Hello." She said as she sat down, "blood hell, it's freezing outside."

"Well it's January, what do you expect?" Emma asked sarcastically.

"Oh, look at the cranky pregnant woman." Jess said.

Lily laughed, "she's been like this all day." She said.

"Well I'm pregnant what do you expect?" Emma said.

"I'm pregnant too." Lily said, "and I don't have a face like a wet weekend."

Emma opened her mouth to talk but Jess cut across her, "so what're we having for lunch?"

Emma sat back in her chair looking a little huffy.

"Did you see the paper this morning?" Jess asked.

"Yeah," Lily said, "it's terrible, James seems to think that their might be some sort of link between that attack and us."

"Us?" Emma asked.

"Now us as in us three here now, but as in James, Harry and I." Lily explained.

"How'd he work that one out?" Emma asked.

"Well I guess he just thought it was strange that the two people that were attacked lived in the same area and they had a little boy the same age as Harry." Lily said.

"Good point, but I wouldn't say there was anything to worry about." Jess said.

"Well I think James is just a little paranoid, a little edgy," Lily said, "but then again so am I."

"Did you find out anymore about the potion that you made?" Emma asked, she seemed to have snapped out of her bad mood.

Lily shook her head, "it's like it doesn't exist." She said.

"There must be something about it somewhere." Jess said, "There must be some sort of record, maybe in the restricted section in Hogwarts. That's where you found it originally, maybe there's something there."

"Maybe," Lily said, "but at the moment I can't be bothered with that. It's in the past and for the last two months I've been to worried with all that, I've got to start looking to the future ."

"That's the spirit," Jess said, "live in the here and now!"

Lily just laughed and the waitress came over to take their orders for lunch.

"Right," Jess said standing up after finished her food, "I have to be off, or I'll be late back to work."

"Please don't go, we were having so much fun." Emma said.

"Sorry, but I have to, and shouldn't you be getting back to Saint Mungos?" Jess said and she hugged each of her friends.

"Good point," Emma said also standing up and slipping her cloak on.

"Emma, you shouldn't be working, your going to put too much strain on the baby." Lily said.

"God you sound just like Sirius!" Emma said rolling her eyes, "I'm fine."

"But it's not like your just having lectures or working in a office your doing practical experience." Jess said frowning, "all that rushing around must-"

"Would you just relax, I'm the one that's becoming a healer, I know what I'm doing." Emma said.

The other two frowned, "If you say so," Jess said and she bade goodbye to her friends before leaving the café.

A few minutes later she was back at the ministry, she got into the lift and took it to level three, Obliviator Headquarters.

She went into a room that had four desks crammed inside.

"How was lunch?" asked a man sitting at the desk nearest the door.

"Good," Jess replied as she went to her desk and draped her cloak around the chair, "but it's bloody cold outside."

The man laughed, he was one of the people that she shared an office with called Oliver Brenton, "you wouldn't know it from in here." he said looking at the small window where the sky was a perfect shade of blue and the sun was shining.

Jess smiled, "been busy while I've been away?" She asked.

"Not really, I've just been-" He said but he was interrupted by a man coming to the door.

"Finally," the man said, he was the head of their department, "Where is everyone today, no ones in their office! Right urgent job, the stupid Auror department left this to the last minute," he said more to himself the to the other two.

"I don't know why this wasn't done last night, they really are letting things slip" he continued, he still seemed to be talking to himself. "If we're not careful we're going to be exposed! Now it would be better if there were more then two of you but we're desperate so two will have to do." he said looking up at Jess and Oliver, he handed Jess a slip of parchment.

"This was the attack that happened last night," Jess said scanning the parchment, "it's a bit late now isn't it? This should have been dealt with then."

"Yes yes I know, there's no point telling me that, now you two better move quickly." The man said starting to move out of the room. "The attack was in a hamlet so there won't be as much damage done, but they'll be enough. The news will probably only have spread as far as that little area but you might want to go a bit further, just to be sure."

Jess and Oliver nodded, "round up as many more people as you can find, I would come but I have a bone to pick with the head of the magical law enforcement squad!" He said and he left their office.

Oliver just stared at Jess, "well you herd the man, lets get going," she said, "we've got a hell of a lot of memory charms to dish out!"

Emma returned to her house, "Mum I'm home," she called.

"Shhhhhhhhh!" Her mother hissed, "I just put the twins down for a nap."

"Sorry," Emma said as she slipped off her cloak.

She hooked it on a coat rack that was in the hallway, and as she did so another one fell down.

She bent down and picked it up, it was one of her cloaks that she hadn't worn in a while, and she noticed something fallout of the pocket.

"What's this?" She asked herself as she picked up a small card. "Which Witch Modelling Agency," she read aloud, "what's that all about?"

She stood there staring at the card for a few minutes, wracking her brain, then she remembered.

It had been just over two years ago, or maybe three when she and Lily had been in Diagon Alley. A witch had given Lily the card saying she was a scout for a modelling agency, but Lily didn't want to know, so she took the card. She had been meaning to phone them and arrange a meeting with Lily, it was too much of a good opportunity to miss but she'd forgotten.

"Emma, where are you?" Her mum asked poking her head around the door.

"What- Oh sorry." She said and she hung the cloak back up and slipped the card into a draw. Maybe she would give them a ring, but not just yet, who'd want to employ a pregnant model?

"How was work darling?" Her mum asked.

"Busy," Emma said and her mum tutted, "what's wrong?" Emma asked although she had a pretty good idea what she was going to say.

"Your six months pregnant dear, that's quite far along, you should be slowing down not speeding up." Her mum said.

"Yes mum, so people keep telling me," Emma said, "but I'm coming to the end of my course now, and I just want to get it done. I've had so many interruptions so far I just want to get it out of the way and qualify."

"That's all very well but you could be putting your baby at risk."

"Look, it's not like I've never been pregnant before, and last time I had twins inside me." Emma said, losing her patience slightly. "It's easier this time around, and if I feel I can still work then I'm going to."

"Well I just hope you know what you're doing." Her mum said, "but just because there is on less baby inside there and it's a little lighter doesn't mean that it's going to be any different from your last pregnancy."

Emma was getting tired of this. "Alright mum, don't worry, I only have a month left of practical training, after that I promise to stay at home and put my feet up." She said.

"Well I suppose that's better then nothing." Her mum said, "now you look after yourself, and I'll see you tomorrow." Her mum said as she kissed her then left.

Emma sighed, it is her body, her baby, she can do what she likes. As she thought this she patted her bump.

"You're alright in there aren't you?" She asked it.


	4. Baby Trouble

"You're going to get caught if you keep attacking people, do you want to go to Azkaban?" Shouted a tall black haired man. He stood in front of two other people, a woman with a shot blonde bob, and another man with brown hair that came down around his face.

"Just because our Master is gone doesn't mean we should stop," the woman sneered, "we should carry on in his honour."

"Stupid woman, we aren't strong enough!" The man snapped back, "four people against the whole Ministry, we won't last much longer if you two keep carrying on like this."

"Well at least we're doing something," the second man said, speaking for the first time. "The Dark Lord would be proud."

"Well he's gone now, and no matter how any people you attack it isn't going to bring him back!" The tall black haired man shouted losing his patience.

There was silence for a few seconds before he spoke again, "where is Gallagher anyway?"

"He went out we he heard you were coming," the woman said, "And he had the right idea, we don't answer to you."

"I didn't say that you had to, I was merely saying that you should stop attacking muggles." The man said, "Unless you would rather go to Azkaban."

The woman fell silent, "you know anyone would think that you didn't want to avenge our master." The second man said, his grey eyes flaring with anger.

"Don't be a prat, of course I do, but being sent to Azkaban isn't exactly how I planned to do it."

"Well then what had you planned to do, because I can't see you doing anything." The second man snapped.

"This is getting tiring," The black haired man said, "If you dunderheads want to get caught because you were just randomly attacking muggles that's fine by me, just don't expect any help from me when you do."

"Who said the attack was random?" The woman asked.

"You mean it wasn't?" The black haired man asked.

"No it wasn't," the woman replied, "It was symbolic, you see the two muggles that we attacked had a child the same age as the Potter boy."

"How is that symbolic? You didn't even kill the boy?"

"Yes well-" the woman started going slightly red but she was interrupted by the second man.

"I have an idea," he said, "you said that you wanted to avenge the Dark Lord right?"

"Yes, well, I suppose…….. Doesn't every one of his followers?" The man said stuttering slightly.

"Well I have a plan to do just that, and when he comes back-"

"Back?" The woman asked laughing slightly, "It's not like he's gone on holiday or anything, he's dead, how is he going to come back?"

"I won't believe he's dead until they find his body." The second man said again, "And you think the same, he was too powerful to die."

No one said anything.

"Well lets hear this brilliant plan of yours then, I just hope it's better then your 'symbolic' attack!" The black haired man said.

"If you do not think it worth listening to then why don't you go home?" the second man spat.

The first did not say anything, "I take it you are willing to be part of this then."

"Let me hear what 'this' is first," the black haired man said.

"What is it that our master wanted to do? He wanted to kill the Potter boy, and what do you think we could do to avenge him? Finish what he set out to do." The second man said.

"So you saying we kill the Potter boy." The woman asked, and the man nodded, "but if our master couldn't do it, what makes you think we can?"

"We go about it from a different approach." The man said, "and this is where my plan comes in."

"Emma, Healer Barry needs help in ward two, she's got a rather difficult patient," A woman said as she rushed past Emma with a pile of towels.

"Right, I'll be right there" Emma said and she left the work she was doing at a small desk and made her way to ward two.

As she approached the door of the ward she heard a great deal of shouting coming from inside.

Many people were giving the door funny looks as they went past.

"What in the name of Merlin?" She said to herself as she stepped inside.

"YOU'RE TRYING TO HURT ME, I KNOW IT, GET AWAY FROM ME!" A small fat bald man shouted from a bed in the corner. He was thrashing around and stopping anyone from going near him.

"LOOK SIR, WE ARE TRYING TO HELP YOU. I'M A HEALER." The healer shouted over his ramblings.

"ER…" Emma said moving cautiously neared the bed, "NEED ANY HELP?"

"OH EMMA, GOOD," The healer said, "I NEED ANOTHER BOTTLE OF CALMING SOLUTION, IT SEEMS ONE ISN'T GOING TO BE ENOUGH FOR THIS GENTLEMAN."

Emma nodded and smiled slightly, "OH SHALL I PUT AN IMPERTURBABLE CHARM ON THE DOOR? PEOPLE ARE GIVING IT FUNNY LOOKS!" She asked before leaving.

"GOOD IEAD," The healer said as the man made a grab for her head and she ducked. "JUST HURRY."

Emma flicked her wand at the door before she ran out of the room.

"Ouch!" She said to herself, her feet were aching, and running just seemed to be a little too much for them.

She went into a store room and searched the shelves, she found the section marked C, but there was no Calming solution, there were however several bottles of boil cure potion and a large phial of Deflating Draught.

"Some on needs to sort this damn store room out!" She muttered to herself as she moved various bottles to try and find the one she was looking for.

Finally she found one hidden behind a bottle of Hiccupping Solution which was in the section marked W.

She took the bottle and on her way out she flicked her wand at a small board on the back of the door, which is where they wrote which potions needed stocking up on, and the word Calming solution appeared, along with, someone needs to sort out this room!

She ran back to the ward where she was just in time, the man was about to bite into Heal Barry's arm and take out a large chunk.

She un corked the potion and Healer Barry restrained the man while she tipped it into his mouth.

"Thanks," Healer Barry said, wiping the sweat off her forehead as the man stopped struggling and sank into his bed.

"Do you need anything else?" Emma asked as she sat down in a chair by the mans bed and stretched her legs out.

"No, but you look like you could do with a break." Healer Barry said.

Emma resisted the rather strong urge to roll her eyes and instead fixed a smile on her face.

"I think I'll go the staff room, get a drink, relax for ten minutes." She said.

"I didn't mean that kind of break, I meant as in maternity leave." Healer Barry said.

Emma nodded, "Yes, yes I know, but I have to finish this month then I'll have all the time in the world to relax." She said trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice, she had said this to so many people already. "And plus I'm in a hospital now, so, god forbid, that something happened, I couldn't be in a better place."

Healer Barry made a noise that Emma took to be as an indication that she had heard but not necessarily agreed.

Emma just waved her hand airily and left the room.

Lily sat at her kitchen table accompanied by three children, Harry, Sinead and Reece. She felt like a baby sitting service.

Emma had asked her to look after her children at the last minute because her mum was ill with the flu. Lily had been reluctant and was trying to get Emma to stay at home herself but it didn't work and she had been left with four children. The three at the table with her and the one growing inside her.

"Auntie Lily," Sinead said poking Lily in the side.

Lily looked down at the small girl standing there, the contras of her bright blue eyes and dark hair made her very striking, Lily could tell she was going to grow up to be very beautiful.

Sinead held up a piece of parchment which she had just been drawing on, "Is that me?" Lily asked taking it from her. Sinead nodded.

Lily examined the parchment closer and found it was a picture of the very place they were in. It her, Harry, Sinead and Reece all sitting around the table. Sinead had even draw a huge bump on Lily's stomach so it looked more like Lily was going to give birth to four babies, not just one.

"It's wonderful." Lily said smiling and she stroked Sinead's hair.

Sinead gave her an adorable grin and went back to her hair next to Reece.

Lily smiled at the picture once more and flicked her wand at it, as she did so it flew over to the wall near the window and attached it's self there.

Harry watched her wand transfixed on it, Lily smiled as she moved her wand and Harry's eyes followed.

"Want to see some more magic?" Lily asked.

"M-m-magic." Harry said repeating what his mother had said.

Lily smiled, she held her wand in front of her and multi-coloured sparks flew out of it.

The children looked amazed as the sparks faded and Lily couldn't help but laugh.

A few hours later James had returned from work with Sirius.

"How was your first day back?" Lily asked as Harry played with a stray strand f her hair.

James smiled at her, "brilliant," he said.

"No it wasn't." Sirius said.

"What you mean you didn't like having me back?" James asked pretending to be hurt.

"No not that," Sirius said, "I mean today was not a good day, we had three raids. But then again once I've had six in one day, but these were hard ones."

"Well I enjoyed myself, it's nice to get out and stretch my wand arm," James said stretching his arm like he had only just realised how to use it.

"Yeah, well, you didn't nearly get your leg blown off!" Sirius muttered and he went into the kitchen and poured himself a drink.

"Oh, help yourself!" Lily said sarcastically as he re-appeared holding a bottle of butterbeer.

Sirius looked at her then, after a few minutes said, "oh I'm sorry, did you want one?"

Lily just rolled her eyes, and laughed.

"So how were the babies?" James asked.

"OK," Lily said, as Harry yanked her head down so he could hold some more of her hair. "But they kept making me show them magic, they just made me keep doing it!"

"Are you poor think," James said pouting as Lily pulled a bit of hair free from Harry's grasp, scared that he might pull it out.

"What is it with babies and hair?" She asked herself.

"So how's James Junior doing?" James asked gently patting Lily's bump.

"For the last time I'm not calling this one James Junior," Lily said, "Or James the Second." She said as James opened his mouth again.

"What are you going to call he/she?" Sirius asked.

"James- OUCH!" James said as Lily hit him on the arm.

"We haven't decided yet," Lily said firmly.

"Well Reece wants us to call the baby Red, because that's his favourite colour apparently." Sirius said.

"Red if it's a boy, pink if it's a girl," James joked.

"Well when Reece has his own children, he can name them whatever he wants," Sirius said. "But I am not calling my child Red Black."

Everyone starting laughing, but Sirius looked slightly horrified at the thought of someone having the name Red Black.

Emma stood on a small ladder in the potions storeroom in Saint Mungos, she had been set the task of arranging it when one of the Healers found her in the staff room, asleep.

She's gone up there to sit down for a few minutes, to rest her feet, and the next thing she knew she was being woken up by one of the Healers.

The Healer had been very sympathetic, as Emma was pregnant, and had told her to go and do something that didn't evolve too much moving around. She suggested sorting out the Potions storeroom as someone had said it needed to be sorting out.

Emma cursed herself under her breath as she sorted the bottles, well it was her own fault for saying that the cupboard needed cleaning. She should have know that she would be the one to have to do it.

She picked up a dusty bottle of potion that lay on one of the shelves.

"Oh!" She said as she saw a nasty green substance that had formed over the top. She warily uncorked it and smelt it, "Oh sweet Jesus!" She said as a smell of old socks and cat sick rose out of it.

She quickly put the cork back in and threw the bottle into a bag in the corner.

She stepped off the small ladder and onto the floor, so far she had organised just over half of the shelves.

She looked at the ones she still had left and groaned, it seemed she had been putting off the worst ones, hoping that she wouldn't have to do them.

She pushed the ladder down the rows a little and into the correct position.

"Oh, oh!" She said as she felt the baby kick. She stopped moving and put her hand on her bump.

She remembered when this had happened during her last pregnancy, how wonderful it had felt.

The baby continued to kick, but it didn't feel like during her last pregnancy, it wasn't wonderful, this felt different.

"Oh, oh," Emma said, she didn't like this, "ah, ouch."

She clutched onto one of the shelves for support as she started to slip onto the floor, her eyes had filled with tears.

Then there was a loud crash as the shelf she was holding onto came crashing to the ground. All the bottles smashed, spilling their contents everywhere.

Then everything went black.


	5. No Hard Feelings

Sirius' paced up and down the corridor in Saint Mungos, his feet pounding against the floor, like his heart was pounding against his chest.

This wasn't happening to him, it was all a bad dream. He would wake up and find Emma lying next to him, their third child still growing healthily inside her.

He closed his eyes, hoping that when he opened them again he wouldn't still be there, but it didn't work. He was still in the same, small pokey corridor, still pacing up and down in front of the door to the room which Emma was inside.

It was starting to get late, but he wasn't tired, he wouldn't sleep until he knew that Emma and the baby were alright.

He had been at Lily and James' house when an owl arrived from the hospital, it carried a note telling him that he needed to get there as soon as he could and he would be further informed when he arrived at the hospital.

He had then gone into a panic and flapped around like a headless chicken before James has stunned him to calm him. Then Lily had brought him around and escorted him to the hospital leaving James with the children.

As he paced back and forth his mind was racing, different things zooming in and out of his head, making him unable to focus on one. This was probably a good thing.

It felt like there was a large wait in his stomach, pulling all his insides in and restricting his breathing some what.

"Sirius sit down, you'll wear a hole in the floor." Lily said walking down the corridor with two cups of piping hot tea. She handed one to him and steered him into a chair.

They sat next to each other in silence, each sipping their mug of coffee.

"Sirius stop jiggling your leg, you're spilling your drink." Lily said trying to hold his leg still.

"I can't help it," Sirius said and he stood up and started pacing again. "What's taking them so long?"

"They're probably just making sure she's alright," Lily said trying t comfort him, "Making her comfortable before they let us in to see her."

Sirius did not think this was true, but then again he had a tendency to think the worst in these kind of situations.

"Yes, she has to be comfortable." He said convincing himself more then anyone else.

Lily frowned, she had never really seen Sirius like this before, "Don't worry so much, if something had happened they would have told us." She said in a soft comforting voice.

Sirius nodded, "But I can't help imagine what would happen if-"

"There's no point in thinking like that." Lily cut across him, "you'll drive yourself mad."

Sirius opened his mouth to speak again but then the door opened and a healer walking out in Lime Green robes.

"How is she?" Lily asked.

"Is she going to be OK?" Sirius asked. "How's the baby?" He could barley breath now, and the wait in his stomach seemed to get heavier.

"Calm down, calm down." The healer said, "she's fine, and so is the baby."

The wait in Sirius' stomach seemed to left immediately and a smile of relief broke across his face.

"You're sure she's alright?" He asked making sure.

"I'm positive, you can go and see her in a few minutes." He said.

"Thank God," Lily said and she put a hand on Sirius' shoulder.

About five minutes later the Healer appeared again and told them that they could go and see her.

Sirius almost jumped off his chair and into the room with Lily following.

"Oh God, don't you ever do that to me again." Sirius said when he saw Emma lying in the bed and he threw his arms around her.

"Ur hello to you too!" She said hugging him back.

"This is no time for jokes, you had me worried sick." Sirius said scolding her like he was her mother. "I thought I was going to lose you."

Emma smiled at him, "well you haven't lost me, so stop acting like an old woman!" She said.

"I can't help it, I just love you so much." Sirius said and Lily turned away as they started kissing, and wondered whether she should leave the room and come back.

"How's the baby?" Sirius asked putting his ear to Emma's bump as if to hear something that would tell him it was alright.

"It's fine, thank goodness," Emma said and tears started to well up in her eyes. "I can't image what I would have done if something happened to it."

"Don't cry," Sirius said pulling her into another embrace.

"I can't help it," Emma said sobbing into Sirius' robes.

Lily turned around, thinking it safe now to look again. She moved to the other side of Emma's bed and clasped her hand.

"Everyone makes mistakes," Lily said, "don't beat your self up about it."

"How can I not, everyone was telling me to slow down, but I just didn't listen." Emma said pulling away from Sirius. "I could have-" But she couldn't say it and she broke down into tears.

Lily and Sirius looked at each other hopelessly, how did they tell her that it wasn't her fault?

"Emma," Lily said trying to calm her, "Emma. Emma. EMMA!" She finally shouted and Emma fell silent. "Stop crying, it's not your fault."

"But I could have prevented this," She said, her voice now small.

"You didn't know this was going to happen, how could you have prevented it?" Lily said, "All that matters is that you and the baby are alright."

Emma looked at Sirius and he smiled reassuringly.

"I just feel guilty," Emma said calming slightly, she had been worried that everyone would blame her.

"Well you shouldn't," Sirius said, "we're just glad that you're both OK."

"What actually happened?" Lily asked perching on the side of Emma's bed.

Emma paused for a moment to think before saying, "Well I was clearing out the potions store room, where we keep all the potions." She said, "And I thought I felt the baby kicking, but it didn't feel normal. I remember it just hurting, a lot, then I grabbed onto one of the shelves for support, and it gave way. All the bottles came crashing down around my ears, and I must have slipped because I don't remember anything after that."

The door then opened and the Healer came back into the room. "How are you feeling?" He asked closing the door behind him and looking at Emma.

"Fine," she said, "just a bit shaken I suppose."

"That's to be expected," he said, "I think we'll keep you in over night and you should be able to go home some time tomorrow if all is well."

"What exactly happened to her?" Sirius asked.

"We think it was just her body telling her to slow down," the healer said making a few notes on a board above her bed.

"So there will be no lasting damage of anything?" Sirius asked.

"No, no, not if she just relaxes and doesn't overexert herself." The Healer said and he smiled at Sirius before he left the room.

"Right, when you get home, you're not going to leave your bed until after the baby's born." Sirius said.

Emma rolled her eyes and her and Lily shared an exasperated look.

The next day Emma's parents came to see her as well as Jess who came in on her lunch break.

"When are you going home?" Jess asked.

"Later today I think," Emma said, "but I'm dreading going home a little."

"Why?" Jess asked, "you don't like being here do you?"

"No, it's not that, it's just that Sirius is going to drive me crazy, he said he won't let me out of my bed until the baby's born."

Jess laughed slightly, "He means well," she said.

"I know, I know, but he can't half be pain in the arse sometimes." Emma said, "but he's a very nice pain in the arse."

Jess started laughing and Lily came into the room with some drinks.

"What's so funny?" She asked.

"Oh nothing, Emma's just telling me about this very nice pain in the arse that she has." Jess said taking the drink Lily handed her.

Lily just gave her a strange look but didn't ask any questions.

"Anyway," Lily said, "Jess what were you saying about your parents?"

"Oh yea," Jess said. "Remus invited my parents over for dinner on Saturday night."

"What? Why?" Emma asked, "They hate him!"

"Exactly," jess said, "That's what I said, but he said that he wants to make peace."

"If your dad lets him," Lily said, "But it's a nice thought."

"Yes it is, but my father can be stubborn when he wants to be, and I've never know him to back down before." jess said frowning, "It's going to be a disaster."

"I might be different, I mean he must want his daughter back, and if accepting Remus is the only way to do that then he'll have to." Lily said.

"Yes, but I think he'd be more understanding if we were still only girlfriend and boyfriend." Jess said, "Then he'd just think that we'd break up and Remus would go away, but now we're married…"

"You have told your parents that you're married haven't you?" Emma asked.

"I haven't seemed to get round to doing that," Jess said.

"You're not making it easy for yourself." Emma said, "I think they're going to be a little hurt that you didn't even tell them you were married."

"I know, I know, that's why I'm dreading it." Jess said.

"Well rather you then me," Emma said.

"Oh thanks for the support." Jess said and Emma just smiled.

"Any time."

Jess stood in front of her bedroom mirror checking her appearance.

"You look beautiful," Remus said coming into the room.

"You have to say that," Jess said looking at him through the mirror, "you're my husband."

"I have to say it, but I don't have to mean it," Remus said and he kissed her on the head before leaving the room.

Jess smiled broadly despite feeling sick to the stomach with nerves, "how did I end up with you?"

"I was the only one who'd have you!" Remus joked and Jess hit him on the arm. "Ouch!"

"Serves you right," Jess said sticking her tongue out.

"Well you know-" Remus started but he was cut off by the sound of the door bell ringing through the flat.

Remus looked at Jess, "go and answer it then," He said.

"Why me?"

"Because they're your parents."

"But they're your guests."

"Just answer the door," Remus finally said.

Jess admitted defeat and went to the door, she put her hand on the door handle and took a deep breath before pulling it open.

On the door step stood Mr. And Mrs. Brown, Jess' mum and dad.

Her mum smiled, "Jessica, Oh Jessica I've missed you so much." She said and she pulled Jess in to a rib cracking hug.

"Hello Mum," Jess replied, she was glad to see her mum again. Her mum had not said anything bad about Remus, not that she had heard anyway.

When her mum released her Jess just looked at her dad before stepping aside to let them in.

"How've you been?" Jess asked showing them into the living room.

"Good, good, Charlotte's pregnant again." Her mum said.

"I know," Jess said, "I do still keep in contact with Charlotte and Emma."

"Oh, they never said," Mrs. Brown said taking a seat.

"I suppose they didn't want to upset you." Jess said, "I'll be backing a minute." She said and she left the room.

"How's it going?" Remus asked.

"Could be worse." Jess said, "Is the food nearly ready? I want to have an excuse not to talk to them."

Remus half smiled and half frowned, "It'll probably be a few more minutes."

"Right," Jess said and she went back into the living room, she sat there with her parents, her mum trying to engage her in small talk while her father look out the window not saying a word.

"Dinners ready." Remus said popping his head in the door and withdrawing it quickly as Mr. Brown looked as if he might throw something at him.

They filed into the kitchen and took seats at the table where four plates of piping hot food sat.

"This looks lovely Remus," Mrs. Brown said and she looked at her husband to say something but he didn't.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence Remus spoke.

"Mr. Brown, I know you don't exactly approve of me, but-" He said.

"Don't approve, damn right I don't approve." Jess' dad said speaking for the first time. "My youngest daughter is shacked up with a werewolf and you expect me to approve?"

"Darling I think that-" Mrs. Brown said trying to calm him but he ignored her.

"My daughter is in constant danger because of you and you think that-"

"That's enough Dad!" Jess shouted, "I've had enough, I'm not a baby, I can look after my self."

"I only have your best interests at heart, I-"

"No you don't, because if you did you'd be happy for me. I've found someone who I love and someone who I'm spending the rest of my life with, and if you really cared about me you'd accept that and be happy for me."

A ringing silence met these words.

"Remus is a good man, better then most others, he kind and sweet and he loves me." Jess said. "And it hurts that you wouldn't trust me to make the right decision, it hurts that you don't trust me to know what I'm doing."

"It's not that-"

"No let me finish," Jess said. "I thought you'd understand that Remus must be special if, despite his faults, I was willing to fall out with my parents for him, and," Jess took a deep breath, "Marry him."

"Marry?" Mrs. Brown repeated her mouth slightly open.

"Yes marry," Jess said and she showed her parents her gold wedding ring.

"When did this happen?" Mrs. Brown asked.

"Over a year ago." Jess said, "and we didn't tell you because we knew you'd be mad, but I don't care anymore." She looked her father straight in the eye. "I love Remus and he love me, and you either accept that or you don't, and if you don't then you may as well forget all about me, because I'm sticking with Remus no matter what you say."

Mr. Brown didn't say anything to this, he just kept looking into Jess' eyes.

"Well you must love him if you'd get into this much of a state over him." He said, his expression softening a little. Then he turned to Remus, "You and me are going for a little walk." He said and he stood up and gestured for Remus to follow.

Remus stood up as well, he squeezed Jess' hand before leaving the room and following Mr. Brown out of the flat and into the street below.

It was a cold evening and Remus wished he had taken his cloak with him now as he shivered slightly.

"I love my daughter very much." Mr. Brown said, "I love all my daughters, but Jess is my youngest so I suppose I'm more protective over her."

"I understand that," Remus said.

"And now, thinking about it, I suppose I was a little unfair to you the first time we met." Mr. Brown said, and emus thought of how hard it must be for him to do this. "I didn't give you a chance, didn't get to know you properly-"

"There's no need to apologise," Remus said stopping him from going any further. "I get it all the time, people find out that I'm a werewolf and they don't care what I'm like they just think I must be dangerous and write me off. I get it all the time."

"Yes well, I should have known better, Jess was right, if she loved you, despite your little problem, then I should have respected her decision. There must be something good about you if my Jess loves you this much I suppose I'm just trying to say, no hard feelings eh?"

"Sure," Remus said and he shook Mr. Browns hand.

"Well, I suppose I had better get to know you better, seeing as you are my son-in-law now."

Remus smiled, and he walked on with Jess' father telling him all about himself.

I just thought I've leave a quick note telling you that I'm going on holiday on Monday (to Miami! I'm really excited!) for 10 days so there won't be any updates for a while. I might get another chapter up before I go away but I'm not sure.

I was going to be really mean and leave you with another cliff hanger, but I didn't have the heart!


	6. The Dark Mark

Ok I feel soooooooooo terrible, I haven't updated in like two months and I'm so sorry! After I came back from holiday I decided to have a little bit of a break, then school started and I had so much work to do, then when I did get round to writing I just couldn't do it! Everything I wrote was rubbish!

So this chapter isn't my best but it's something at least! Again I'm sorry! But I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Emma unfurled the latest edition of the Daily Profit over the breakfast table, while she ate.

The front page was mostly dedicated to a large picture of two people smiling and waving in front of a house. Her eyes then fell upon the headline and as she read it she dropped her spoon and it fell into her bowl with a clatter.

"What is it?" Sirius asked going over to her and reading the paper over her shoulder.

I "AUROR AND HIS WIFE TORTURED TO INSANITY" /I The headline read, and beneath it was the large picture of Frank and Alice Longbottom.

"It's disgusting isn't it," Sirius said shaking his head and sitting down on a chair.

Emma nodded as she read the article, her mouth hanging slightly open in shock.

"Bellatrix Lestrange, isn't she your-" Emma asked after she had finished.

"Unfortunately so," Sirius said darkly, his family seemed to be a sensitive subject.

"Poor Frank and Alice," Emma said, "they were so nice, and they had a son. How anyone could do something like that is beyond me. Lock them up and throw away the key."

"Well some of these Death eaters are a breed of their own." Sirius said.

Emma scanned the article again, "Barty Crouch Junior?"

Sirius nodded, "Yep, Barty Crouches son. He was having kittens last night when they were brought in."

"Well he should have spent more time with his son, I think he's gone a little power crazy." Emma said.

"You can say that again," Sirius said, "obsessed with catching Death eaters. He's the one that passed the law that lets Aurous kill, not just capture."

Emma just shook her head.

"But I don't want you worrying about any of this, all I want you to worry about is yourself and keeping that baby safe." Sirius said standing up and rubbing Emma's shoulders.

"I'm fine Sirius," Emma said sighing.

"Are you sure, you look a little pale, maybe you should go back to bed." Sirius said putting his hand against her forehead.

Emma rolled her eyes, "And I think it's time you went to work." She said.

Sirius looked down at his watch, "take it easy OK." He said.

"You worry too much," Emma said kissing him goodbye.

Sirius just shrugged before leaving.

Lily emptied the contents of a small glass bottle into her cauldron and stirred it twice as a silver mist rose out of it.

"Urgh!" She said as the sent of old socks filled her nostrils and she took a step away from the cauldron.

She felt a soft tug on the end of her robes and she looked down to find Harry standing there.

"Smells bad doesn't it!" She said as he looked at her inquiringly.

"Mummy smells," Harry said.

Lily laughed as Harry showed her his toothless grin.

"Go back and play, you little rascal!" Lily said ruffling his hair and turning back to the cauldron.

She hated making wolfsbane potion but someone had to do it and, since Sirius wouldn't let Emma go anywhere near a cauldron, and no one else had time, it was left to her to make it for Remus.

"Right," She said as she added the next ingredient and stood back yet again as green smoke rose from the cauldron. She then stirred it three times clockwise, then twice anti-clockwise before she left it to brew.

She looked at her watch, it was three in the after noon and the potion needed the best part of four hours to mature. She was cutting it fine, tonight was a full moon, but it looked like it was going to be cloudy tonight so there shouldn't be any problems, well at least she hoped not anyway!

She sat back in a chair and sighed, her life had become so boring lately, even though she was not in hiding for the amount of time she went out she may as well be.

She hadn't seen anyone outside her circle of close friends for what seemed like years.

She looked down at her ever growing bump and patted it, well when this last one was out she'd be able to walk properly, as apposed to how she waddled at the moment, and that meant she could go out, even if it was just walking to the park with the children, or to the shops.

Remus pulled his cloak tight around his body as he walked in the bitter evening cold, he was on his way home. Normally he would apparate but he just didn't feel up to it today. With it being a full moon he felt utterly sick and he was dreading transforming tonight.

He just wished that he could be normal, that he didn't have to go through this every month. The only thing he couldn't complain about was that it didn't hurt much anymore. Not since he started taking wolfs bane potion, it made his transformations a lot easier.

He checked his watch, it was nearly half six, he quickened his pace slightly, he was a few minutes away from home now. He could hear his feet pounding the ground and the pound of his heart in his ears, he should really exercise more!

As he walked he heard something, a distant crack, then a second set of footsteps joined his, then a third.

Remus looked over his shoulder and saw nothing, but he could still hear the footsteps coming closer.

He broke into a run as he came neared to his house, but so did the mysterious footsteps behind him. He fumbled in his pocket for his keys, but he couldn't find them. There was no time for that he said to himself and he pulled out his wand and unlocked it magically.

But just then the footsteps stopped and new sound started, he could now hear someone breathing right behind him.

Jess let out a shout of laughter.

"Shut up Jess, your hair was never that great!" Emma said defensively as she turned the page of a photo album they were all looking at from their school days.

"My hair was never as bad as that!" Jess said and she turned the page back and laughed again at a picture of Emma with a perm.

"Right, that's it! I'm putting the photo album away!" Emma said snapping closed the book.

"Kill joy," Lily muttered.

"No, I'm not, I would be a kill joy if we were having fun, but being embarrassed is not my idea of it!" Emma said sticking her nose in the air as she waved her wand and the photo album vanished.

"I'll be back in a minute, nature calls." Lily said and she waddled off.

Jess looked at her watch, "I should be getting home," she said standing up and putting her cloak on. "Tell Lily I'll come by tomorrow on my lunch break."

"Will do," Emma said and se hugged Jess before she left through the front door.

A few minutes later Lily came down the stairs grumbling to herself about not having a downstairs loo.

"Jess has just left." Emma said.

"Oh right, what a drink?" Lily asked.

"Yeah go on then." Emma said and the two pregnant women went into the kitchen.

"They're still fast asleep upstairs." Lily said, "I checked in on them."

"I must say I prefer my two that way sometimes, they can be such a handful!" Emma said, "God only knows what it's going to be like when this on comes along!"

Lily just laughed as she started taking cups out of the cupboard. "OH BUGGER!" She cursed.

"What?" Emma asked startled by her sudden outburst.

"Remus' Wolfbane potion!" She said dropping the cups and rushing to the smouldering cauldron on the side of the stove.

"You mean he hasn't taken his potion yet?" Emma asked her mouth slightly open in shock.

Lily nodded her head furiously as she ladled the liquid into a phial.

"How are we going to get this to him?" Lily asked, and at that very moment they heard the door go and James and Sirius walked in.

"Ah, James!" She said running out to him. "Take this to Remus' house."

James just looked at her a little startled.

"NOW!" She shouted.

James just jumped and ran out the door.

"Erm, what's going on?" Sirius asked raising an eyebrow.

"Remus hasn't taken his wolfsbane potion and we need to get it to him before the full moon comes up." Lily said in one breath.

"You mean you left it till now to give it to him?" Sirius asked, "Cutting it a bit fine aren't you?"

"I didn't mean to leave it till now!" Lily said exasperatedly.

"Yes well I was-" Sirius started but her was cut off as the front door burst open and Jess and James came running through it.

"What-?" Emma started as she came out of the kitchen but Jess cut across her.

"Went to flat… Mess everywhere…… Remus not there……… and……….. And….." But Jess broke down into tears and couldn't finish her sentence.

Lily went forward and hugged her friend.

They all turned to a horrified looking James who said in a voice of forced clam "There was a Dark Mark over he building."


End file.
